Questor Insurance News

2.1 million Brits jet off on holiday this week

An estimated 2.1 million sun-seeking Brits are set to take off to hotter climes this week – July 24th-27th – with a jaw dropping 310,000 holidaymakers flying from Gatwick airport alone.

The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) has announced that millions of Brits will begin the six week summer school break with a trip abroad, with the Mediterranean being the most popular location for families.

Families heading abroad

Spain has maintained its top position as the number one destination for holidaying Brits, while the Canary and Balearic Islands are swiftly moving up the popularity list.

Greece, France and Cyprus are also proving to be particularly popular this summer as Brits find they can’t resist the fantastic exchange rate, with the pound currently standing at an eight year high against the Euro.

For those daring holidaymakers heading further afield, Mexico and the Dominican Republic have sold record numbers of tickets while Florida remains the top long-haul choice for families.

However, it’s not just trips abroad that are popular with tour operators reporting strong demand for domestic trips too.

City and country breaks in the UK, along with shorter holidays to Barcelona, Amsterdam and Rome, are also part of the top picks for this summer.

Chaos at British airports

In order to cater for this huge demand, UK airports are expecting to have a very busy week with thousands of passengers set to fly through the doors of many city airports. Current estimates stand at:

Heathrow - 450,000 passengers

Gatwick - 310,000 passengers

Stansted - 160,000 passengers

Luton - 90,000 passengers

Scottish airports - +100,000 passengers

Glasgow - 50,000 passengers

Manchester - 171,000 passengers

Birmingham - 73,000 passengers

Bristol - 50,000 passengers

The Eurostar also expects a rise in travellers with 71,000 passengers expected to depart for Paris and the South of France over the weekend.